I love my red KitchenAid Mixer
My KitchenAid Mixer
I have hankered after a KitchenAid Mixer for several years. I cook a lot, I bake for my immediate family and my extended family. Nothing too fancy you understand, but good food with as few additives as possible. The other reason I do a lot of home baking is that my youngest son has a food allergy and it makes sense to know exactly what ingredients are in the goodies.
Unfortunately I didn't feel I could justify the cost of buying a KitchenAid, like everyone else just now we have had to tighten our belts as the price of food and utility bills have risen. I also have a food processor and a small electric hand whisk that could do the same job, didn't I? Yes, I did but it was a hassle getting the food processor out of the cupboard where it was kept and I hated putting it together and having to wash it when I had finished using it. So what changed my mind? Well a close family member had a sudden health scare that shook us up a bit as a family, they're absolutely fine now but everyone was concerned for a while, and I just decided that I was going to use some of our "rainy day" money and buy a KitchenAid. OK, I know it wasnât a rainy day but I felt the need to do something positive, and the KitchenAid comes with a 5 year guarantee, pretty positive thinking as far as Iâm concerned!
Then it came down to decisions, decisions. I did a lot of searching on line, and read very few negative comments regarding the KitchenAid. I decided to pick KitchenAid Artisan Model 5KSM150PS. I like the stainless steel bowl and the fact that it was mostly dishwasher safe. Something that was important for me. I was prepared for the weight of the KitchenAid, more so than the delivery driver who wouldn't believe it was only a food mixer in the large and heavy box, and had cleared a space on the worktop for it. This mixer was going to take pride of place in my kitchen and I intended using it as much as I possibly could. I thought if it went into a cupboard it would go the way of the food processor and be more hassle to use, and eventually hardly be used at all. No, this beauty was going to take pride of place in my kitchen.
The second decision was which color to buy my KitchenAid in. To know me is to know that Iâm quite a modest, sensible, unassuming type of person. Normally if given a choice of color I would pick the more sedate color as it would be more practical and more sensible. Guess what? I didn't pick sensible or practical, I picked a wonderful bright red, AND I LOVE IT. You walk into the kitchen and the red draws your eye straight to it. It's bold, it's brash and it's not apologising for it. Yes, I know I sound as if I've been at the cooking sherry, I promise I haven't, I am just so pleased with my new KitchenAid.
The KitchenAid arrived late afternoon on a Wednesday and after admiring it and cooing over it I was looking at my cookbooks trying to decide what I would use it for first. The following recipe is a favorite with my family. It's called Millionaires Shortbread and normally it's made in a large square and cut into pieces, I decided to make little individual treats and they turned out well. So well in fact they didn't last more than a few hours in my house.
All of the photographs were taken on our Nikon D90 Camera.
My New KitchenAid Mixer
I feel a bit of a rebel choosing a bright red model, instead of the more conservative cream color I would usually choose.
Choose a KitchenAid Mixer
Cook Time
Prep Time: 30
Total Time: 40
Serves: 16
Ingredients
- For the shortbread you will need:-
- 60 g/2.5oz golden caster sugar
- 150 g/5oz plain flour
- 20 g/0.75oz cocoa powder
- I didn't have cocoa powder when I came to use this receipe so I used a good squeeze of Hershey's chocolate syrup
- 120 g/4.5oz unsalted butter at room temperature
- For the golden fudgy caramel you will need:-
- 397 g/14oz can of condensed milk
- For the chocolate topping you will need:-
- 150 g/5oz of chocolate
- you can use whichever kind of chocolate you like best I used milk chocolate
- if you use plain chocolate you will also need
- 25 g/1oz butter
Instructions
- .You can make this in one 8 inch square cake tin, or as I did in little muffin tins. Make sure your tins are well greased.
- When I made this I bought a can of Carnation Caramel, which means you can miss out the next step.
- If you can't get this then put the unopened can of condensed milk into a heavy pan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Simmer for 3.5 hours making sure you top up with water so that the can is always covered in water. Be careful when you remove the can from the water and make sure you cool the can completely before opening.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, gas mark 4, 180 C
- Cream the butter and then add in the sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy, add the sifted flour and cocoa into the bowl and mix until it just comes together in a smooth dough. Press the dough into your tins of choice, if you're using small individual tins make sure the dough is not too thick. I managed to get 18 little Millionaires nibbles out of this quantity. Prick all over with a fork and then chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
- Bake your trays for approximately 20 minutes if doing the large one, and approx 13 minutes for the individual ones. Keep an eye on your cooking times as you want to take them out of the oven when they are just firm and looking slightly darker on the edges.
- Leave to cool completely in the tins. After cooling I was able to take out the individual shortbread and place on a baking tray. If you're making a large shortbread leave it in the square tin.
- When cool either spread the caramel over the tin of shortbread, or place a spoonful or so into the individual shortbread.
- Everyone has their own way of melting chocolate, I tend to use the microwave to melt chocolate, putting it on full power for approximately 20 seconds at a time unitl completely melted. If using plain chocolate you then remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the butter.
- When melted either pour over the square tin, or spoon over the individual Millionaires Shortbread.
- If you're using a square tin leave overnight to firm up before cutting into approximately 16 squares. If you're making individual treats, enjoy when the chocolate has firmed up, usually a couple of hours.
- This receipe will store for a week in an airtight container, it never lasts that long in my house, but is not suitable for freezing.
Millionaires Shortbread
I couldn't resist showing you my first batch of Millionaires Shortbread. I know they're don't look perfect but they taste delicious. They didn't last long after this photograph was taken!
Tins
Choose a tin to suit your own baking style, whether it be a mini muffin tin or an 8" square tin.
Hot Off The Press
I made smoked salmon fish cakes in my new KitchenAid. I mashed potatoes using the beater, add a little butter and a spot of cream with some herbs. Mix in cooked smoked mackerel until it's completely absorbed with the potatoes. Final ingredient was some smoked salmon cut into half inch pieces, which I stirred in. Shape the fish cakes onto greaseproof paper placed on a baking sheet and put in the oven, on quite a high heat, for 20 minutes. Served with a green salad they were a great mid-week meal.
Are you a fan of KitchenAid
Is a KitchenAid Mixer worth the extra expense
If you don't want to buy a new KitchenAid you may be able to pick up a bargain here.
I know the KitchenAid costs a lot of money, and some people buy one and then don't use it so they decide to sell their mixer. You may be lucky and pick up a bargain here!
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